A commonly used saying “You are what you eat” is used to encourage people to be cautious in what an individual eats. However, it may be more accurate than you think it is — as researchers study more about diet and the body, it showed that healthy meals and what you eat can significantly affect your skin’s health.
There are many factors that contribute to one’s clear and glowing skin that everyone strives for, and just doing your skincare routine religiously won’t give you an overall healthy skin. Skin is the largest organ in the body, thus, nutrients from the food that we eat are needed which can help promote healthy skin. Want to know some tasty meals for a beautiful and youthful glow? Check it out below!
Breakfast
Pumpkin Pie Baked Oatmeal
Here’s a fall-friendly breakfast that will make you warm and comforting, the pumpkin pie baked oatmeal which not only gives you the fall vibes but it also features two healthy skin-promoting foods: oats and pumpkin. So what do these two ingredients do to your skin?
For pumpkin, it is packed with fruit enzymes and alpha hydroxy acids (AHAs), which increase cell turnover, to brighten and smooth the skin. Also, it helps to boost collagen production; helps control the hormone level, as well as assist with the healing of the skin. Oatmeal, on the other hand, possesses beta-glucan which has anti-inflammatory and antioxidant properties that may help combat the effects of aging on skin, like wrinkles and dryness.
Quinoa Breakfast Cereal with Berries and Almonds
Switch up your typical morning breakfast with quinoa, known as the “gold of Incas” and considered as a superfood for its jam-packed nutrients. Quinoa, with its nutrients, restores damaged skin, helps treat acne, brightens skin and delays aging— truly a superfood. Another on this great start-up meal is blueberry which is high in anthocyanins that fight off the damage in our bodies caused by free radicals.
Last and certainly not the least ingredient, is the almond. Almonds contain a high source of vitamin E, known to protect our skin from the sun’s rays and contributes to a clear, acne-free skin since it regulates the amount of oil secreted into skin and hair follicles—factors of what blackheads are made of which should be prevented to avoid breakouts.
Salad
Nicoise Salad with Charred Fish
This refreshing salad will bring you to the coasts of Mediterranean sea, consisting of fish, beans, green beans, olives, capers, and red bell pepper this appetizing salad would surely boost up your skin. Researchers have found that Mediterranean diet—consisting primarily of vegetables, whole grains, fruits, fish, beans, nuts, and olive oil—can protect against acne thanks to high fiber, antioxidant-rich, and Omega-3-packed foods.
Roasted Beet, Plum, and Kale Salad
A colorful salad perfect for the late summer or early fall, this will leave you with healthy and glowing skin due to its ingredients namely beets, plums, and kale. Beets are rich in skin enhancing properties which purify blood and eliminates toxins, leaving you with healthy and glowing skin. Whereas plum, rich in Vitamins C and E, folic acid and carotenoids, reverse the effects of free radicals and reduce the symptoms of aging.
Lastly, kale that has tons of antioxidants, vitamins A, B, C, and the ultra-rare vitamin K, iron, calcium, protein, potassium and much more. This spectacular superfood has the potential to heal, hydrate, detoxify and reduce inflammation.
Main Dish
Lemon Herb Salmon
Refreshing to the taste buds, this dish is a healthy skin superstar due to its nutritional values along with its low-grease preparation. Salmon is known for being rich in omega-3, which regulates oil production, boost hydration, and by delaying the skins aging process to stave off wrinkles. How this dish is prepared also contributes to a healthy skin—baking instead of frying. Greasy food causes problems the second it touches our mouths since fried foods is a recipe for clogged pores.
Zucchini Chickpea Burgers
An innovative healthy meal, this burger consists of chickpeas, quinoa, and grated zucchini with an added feature of a hearty serving of sunflower seeds. This dish is high in vitamin E, which helps prevent acne development and may help acne-scarred skin heal. Additionally, zucchini hydrates the skin making it supple and healthy. Plus, the green vegetables used here are great sources of vitamin C, vital for healing damaged skin.
Takeaway
Oftentimes, considering the nutrients that we gain from what we eat is often overlooked with all the delicious foods that can be grabbed quickly. However, to have a clear and glowing skin with a healthy body, you should now start considering what food to eat. Along with your skincare regimen, achieving a healthy skin isn’t a far-fetched dream at all.
